[Effect of Panax notoginseng saponins on APP gene transcription in the brain tissue of SAMP8].

Objective: To study the effect of Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) on learning and memory ability and APP gene transcription in the brain tissue in senescence accelerated mouse prone 8 (SAMP8).

Methods: SAMP8 were randomly divided into high-does PNS group, low-does PNS group, huperzin A group and model group,the treatment groups were treated with the designed drugs respectively by intragastric administration for 4 consecutive weeks. The same volume of double distilled water was given to model group. After treatment, the abilities of learning and memory of the mice were tested with morris water maze, the mRNA content of APP was assayed by reverse transcription (RT) and real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

Results: PNS could improve the abilities of learning and memory, high-does PNS could reduce the mRNA content of APP in the brain tissue of SAMP8.

Conclusion: PNS can improve the abilities of learning and memory of SAMP8, the mechanism may be relevant to down-regulating the expression of APP gene at transcriptional level.